Improved television receiver with timer means

Abstract: The present invention relates to a television receiver, equipped with circuitry means for receiving a plurality of television programs, with display means for displaying the image corresponding to at least one of which, with a memory for storing the tuning data associated to said plurality of programs, with command means and control means; the main characteristic of the invention consists in the fact that timer means are provided for measuring established intervals of time and that said control means allow for storing said established intervals of time, eventually being different according to the program, in said memory, with the aim of informing the user of the end of said intervals.

Description: The present invention relates to a television receiver, equipped with circuitry means for receiving a plurality of television programs, with display means for displaying the image corresponding to at least one of which, with a memory for storing the tuning data associated to said plurality of programs, with command means and control means. It is known that the publicity inserts represent for the user of a television receiver one of the major drawbacks; systems for identifying such publicity inserts have been proposed, but none of which have resulted in being satisfactory; in reality an efficient system would be that in which the broadcaster himself signals the beginning and end of the insert, for example as is provided with the known V.P.S. system (Video Programming System); but it is easy to see that any broadcaster that uses publicity will never be willing to supply the user with means for avoiding such; in fact, if someone were to discover a system for identifying the inserts (for instance based on determined technical characteristics), the broadcaster would see to modifying as soon as possible the transmission so as to avoid its possible identification. It is known from EP-A-0366001 that a commercial message timer, when enabled by the user, stores data indicative of a first tuned station and begins timing a predetermined time period. Upon expiration of the time period, the first tuned station is automatically reselected if it had been deselected after the timer was enabled. It is known from EP-A-0384388 the use of a similar timer in response to a channel change command of a television receiver or in response to the pressing of the "Pause" key of a VCR. The timer reminds the user, after the expiration of a determined time period, that the commercial message may be over. Such known methods are not comfortable for the user, because the duration of the period is either fixed or must be remembered and introduced manually by the user. It is also known from US-A-4782401 a method and apparatus for controlling the operation of a video recorder during the recording of a video signal, in order to edit the commercials from the recording. The apparatus is provided with an automatic picture break detector which detects dark picture breaks in the video signal, having a duration greater then a predetermined minimum duration; the lengths of the commercial is so identified, with the use of the timer, and a rewind circuit is actuated by the commercial detecting circuit, in order to avoid the recording of the commercials. Such known method has a very poor reliability because the identification of the commercial messages based on the dark breaks has proved not to be effective. The present invention proposes the aim of indicating how it is possible to realise a television receiver that does however allow the user to reduce the problems produced by the publicity inserts. For obtaining the indicated aim, the present invention has as its subject a television signal receiver, having the characteristics described in the attached claim 1. Further aims and advantages of the present invention shall result in being clear from the following description and annexed drawings supplied purely as an explanatory and non-limiting example, wherein: figure 1 schematically represents a significant part of the logic circuit of the control unit of the television receiver according to the invention. The invention is based on the acknowledgement of the fact that the majority of users, when a publicity insert begins, carry out one of the two following operations: or they lower the volume and dedicate time to another activity, for example conversation; or change channel so as to temporarily watch another program. The trouble is that the user does not know when the publicity insert will finish and therefore risks the loss of a part of the program that was being watched, if he returns to it with a delay; or if he returns before the insert has finished and has to then put up with a part of the publicity. It would however be desirable that the user be advised of the moment in which the publicity insert finishes. The exact moment unfortunately can not be determined; although it has been discovered that every broadcaster has it's insertion and duration cycle of the inserts; and therefore for instance one may effect 4 inserts every hour, each having a duration of 4 minutes; the interval between two inserts is not however always constant, as the intention is to insert them during the moments of greater interest for the viewers. The invention therefore proposes to supply the user a simple means for: a) measuring the duration of the inserts of a broadcaster; b) memorise such duration, grouping it with the broadcaster in question; c) advising, every time that an insert begins, when such duration has passed. The command device of the television receiver (normally a remote control unit) would have, for example 4 keys, marked "L(earn)", "E(xec)", "B(egin)", "S(top)", the keys L and E are of reciprocal exclusion (bistable). In figure 1 a part of the logic circuit of the central control unit is represented. Such circuit can be indifferently realised with the cabled logic system or with the programmed logic system, i.e. utilising a microprocessor; such second system is generally less expensive, also because television receivers normally contain one or more microprocessors. In figure 1 number 100 indicates the starting block of the programming operation; block 100 passes control to the successive block 101. Block 101 is a control block; it verifies whether the user has pressed the key L; in the affirmative case control is passed to block 102, in the negative case control is passed to block 107 (in all the control blocks the inferior output is the YES output; the lateral output is the NO output). Block 102 is a control block; it verifies whether the user has pressed the key B; in the affirmative case control is passed to block 103, in the negative case control is passed back to block 102. Block 103 provides for zeroing the timer and for making it start; control is then passed to the successive block 104. Block 104 is a control block; it verifies whether the user has pressed the key S; in the affirmative case control is passed to block 105, in the negative case control is passed back to block 104. Block 105 provides for stopping the timer and then passes the control to the successive block 106. Block 106 provides for: reading the time signalled by the timer; storing the data in a non volatile memory, coupled to the tuning information of the received program; passing control back to block 101. Block 107 is a control block; it verifies whether the user has pressed the key B; in the affirmative case control is passed to block 108, in the negative case control is passed to block 107 Block 108 provides for: reading the time stored in the non volatile memory associated to the program being received; storing such time in a memory or temporal register (buffer); zeroing the timer and making it start; passing control to the successive block 109. Block 109 is a control block; it verifies whether the time signalled by the timer is greater than or equal to the stored value in the buffer; in the affirmative case control is passed to block 110, in the negative case control is passed to block 109. Block 110 provides for signalling to the user that the time has passed; control then passes back to block 101. The signalling that the time has passed can be visual, by the way of a superimposition on the screen of a text or a simple flashing signal; or in an audio manner by sending a normal acoustic attention signal (beep) to the loudspeaker; or by both means. The characteristics of the described television receiver result in being clear from the given description and annexed drawings. From the given description the advantages of the television receiver subject of the present invention also result in being clear. In particular they consist in the fact that the user can, program by program, memorise the time of a typical publicity insert; for doing so it is sufficient that, after having pressed the key L, he presses the key B at the beginning of an insert and the key S upon it's termination. The time is memorised and associated to the program received. The user can then, after having pressed the key E (that can automatically be pre-set every time that the television receiver is switched on), press the key B at the beginning of an insert, and therefore lower the volume or change channel; the control circuit will automatically advise him when the time of the insert has passed, so as that the user can return to the interrupted program. It is clear that numerous variants can be applied by the man skilled in the art to the television receiver described as an example, without for this departing from the novelty principles inherent in the invention. In particular the invention can be indifferently applied either to a television set or a video recorder. In fact in the latter case the invention can be particularly useful when the user wishes to record a transmission eliminating the publicity inserts, by stopping the recording to reactivate it as soon as the publicity has finished; in such situation the invention is useful for avoiding that the user, not wishing to record the publicity, be obliged, at least during the moment of recording, to sit through them. Another variant could consist in associating the described method to a circuit of those already proposed for the automatic detection of the publicity inserts, with the aim of increasing it's reliability, especially for determining the end of the publicity insert.

Claims: Television signal receiver, equipped with circuitry means for receiving a plurality of television programs, associated with display means, for displaying the image corresponding to at least one of which, with a station memory for storing the tuning data associated to said plurality of programs, with command means and control means, and with timer means for measuring the duration of defined intervals of time and storing said intervals of time, characterised in that, in order to determine the duration of an advertising insert of a television program, said command means comprise first means (L) for setting a first functional mode, second means (E) for setting a second functional mode, third means (B) for starting, in said first functional mode, the duration measurement, fourth means (S) for terminating, in said first functional mode, the duration measurement, wherein said control means provide for storing the value of the measured duration of the insert of a determined program in said station memory, associating it with the tuning data of said determined program and wherein said control means, in said second functional mode, when said third means (B) are activated, provide for reading out the time stored in said station memory and associated with the program being, received, and for starting the timer and as soon as the time counted by the timer is equal to the read out value giving a warning signal to the user. Television signal receiver, according to claim 1, further characterised in that said first means (L), said second means (E), said third means (B) and said fourth means (S) are keys. Television signal receiver, according to claim 1, further characterised in that said first means (L) and said second means (E) are of the reciprocal exclusion type (bistable). Television signal receiver, according to claim 1, further characterised in that, in said first functional mode, when said fourth means (S) are activated, said control means provide for: reading the time counted by the timer; storing the corresponding data in said station memory means, coupled to the tuning information of the received program. Television signal receiver, according to claim 1, further characterised in that, in said second functional mode, when said third means (B) are activated, said control means provide for: reading the time data stored in the said station memory, associated to the program being received; storing such data in a temporary memory; zeroing the timer and making it start. Television signal receiver, according to claim 5, further characterised in that said control means arrange for activating an attention signal for the user as soon as the time counted by the timer is equal to or greater than the stored data. Television signal receiver, according to claim 6, further characterised in that said attention signal is a visual signal. Television signal receiver, according to claim 6, further characterised in that said attention signal is an acoustic signal. Television signal receiver, according to claim 7, further characterised in that said visual signal is displayed on the said display means. Television signal receiver, according to claim 9, further characterised in that said visual signal is realized making a picture element of the television image flash. Television signal receiver, according to one or more of the preceding claims, further characterised in that it comprises a circuit that automatically detects the presence of a publicity insert and that the end of the publicity insert is determined with the aid of said timer means.

Inventors: D ERRICO FEDERICO, D'ERRICO, FEDERICO
Applicants: EDICO SRL, EDICO S.R.L.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: H04N5
IPC codes: H04N5